libintl-9.dll is a third-party Windows DLL used by GNU gettext internationalisation components. When libintl-9.dll is missing, the safest fix is to repair the application that installed it, not to download an isolated file.
The file commonly appears with PostgreSQL Windows distributions, PostGIS utilities, psqlODBC, and custom applications that bundle PostgreSQL client libraries or GNU gettext-built software. It is not a normal Windows system component.
libintl-9.dll at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is it | A Windows build of the GNU libintl message and internationalisation runtime |
| Is it part of Windows | No |
| Common owners | PostgreSQL, PostGIS tools, psqlODBC, and bundled PostgreSQL applications |
| Correct repair | Reinstall or repair the application that reports the error |
| Universal version or size | None; the correct build depends on the application and architecture |
| Should you copy it to System32 | No |
Should you run regsvr32 |
Usually no |
Typical messages include:
- “The program can’t start because libintl-9.dll is missing from your computer.”
- “Code execution cannot continue because libintl-9.dll was not found.”
- A generic application startup error naming
libintl-9.dll.
First, identify the program that needs the DLL
The application named in the error is more important than the DLL filename. Several PostgreSQL versions, GIS tools, database drivers, or custom applications can be installed on the same computer, and each may have a separate dependency folder.
Write down the executable or shortcut that fails. For example, it may be:
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shp2pgsql-gui.exe- A PostgreSQL command-line utility
- A psqlODBC-related program
- A GIS application
- A custom application using PostgreSQL client libraries
- A game or launcher that bundles GNU gettext components
To inspect a shortcut:
- Right-click the shortcut.
- Select Properties.
- Open the Shortcut tab.
- Read the Target field.
- Note the folder containing the executable.
You can also find the executable through Task Manager:
- Start the affected application until the error appears.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc.
- If necessary, select More details.
- Look for the program under Processes.
- Right-click it and choose Open file location.
If the application closes too quickly, use the shortcut target or search for the program name in File Explorer.
Fix 1: Repair or reinstall the owning application
This is the most likely solution for libintl-9.dll.
For PostgreSQL or PostGIS
PostgreSQL Windows installations commonly place this DLL in a path similar to:
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PostGIS utilities can be installed in a subdirectory such as:
C:Program FilesPostgreSQL<version>binpostgisgui
A packaging problem can leave shp2pgsql-gui.exe without the libraries it needs even though the matching PostgreSQL bin directory contains them.
Use the current official PostgreSQL Windows installer or the official package supplied by your organization:
- Close the failing program.
- Open Settings with Windows key + I.
- Select Apps.
- Select Installed apps.
- Search for PostgreSQL, PostGIS, or the relevant database application.
- If Modify, Repair, or Change is available, select it.
- Complete the repair.
- Restart Windows.
- Start the affected application again.
If no repair option exists, uninstall and reinstall the matching PostgreSQL or PostGIS package. Use the same major release family expected by the utility. Do not install a random newer or older DLL beside the executable.
After repair, inspect the PostgreSQL bin folder. For a PostgreSQL-related application, the relevant dependency set may include:
libintl-9.dll
libiconv-2.dll
libwinpthread-1.dll
The exact contents depend on the vendor package. If libintl-9.dll exists in PostgreSQL’s bin folder but the PostGIS GUI is in a separate postgisgui folder, the best solution is a corrected installer or package repair. A matching file copied from the same official installation into the application’s own folder can be an appropriate narrow workaround for a known packaging omission, but it is not a replacement for repairing the installation.
For psqlODBC
psqlODBC has separate Windows packages for 32-bit and 64-bit applications. Reinstall the package matching the program that uses the driver, not merely the architecture of Windows.
- Open Settings.
- Select Apps, then Installed apps.
- Remove the damaged psqlODBC installation if repair is unavailable.
- Download the current installer from the official PostgreSQL psqlODBC distribution.
- Choose the x86 package for a 32-bit application or the x64 package for a 64-bit application.
- Install it as an administrator.
- Restart the application that uses the ODBC connection.
A 64-bit version of Windows can run 32-bit programs. Therefore, 64-bit Windows does not automatically mean that an x64 database driver is correct.
For a custom application
If the error belongs to software developed in-house or supplied by a specialist vendor, contact that vendor or use its official installer. The vendor should deploy the complete matching PostgreSQL or gettext dependency set beside the application executable or through its installer.
Do not rename libintl-8.dll to libintl-9.dll. A filename change does not establish binary compatibility and can lead to entry-point or runtime errors.
Fix 2: Check whether antivirus removed the file
If the program worked previously and then suddenly stopped, security software may have quarantined the DLL.
Windows Security
- Open Start and search for Windows Security.
- Select Virus & threat protection.
- Select Protection history.
- Look for an entry involving the affected application folder.
- Confirm that the file belongs to the official installation.
- If the package is trusted and the file can be validated, follow the restore option.
- Open the application again.
If you are uncertain, do not restore the file. Repair or reinstall the application instead. Do not disable antivirus protection simply to install a DLL obtained from an untrusted source.
Third-party antivirus products have their own quarantine screens. Check the product’s protection history and then reinstall the application if the file was removed during an update.
Fix 3: Check the complete dependency chain
Windows can name the first unresolved DLL even when another dependency is the real problem. libintl-9.dll may require companion files, including libwinpthread-1.dll.
If restoring the named DLL produces a new error, or the file is already beside the executable, check for:
- A missing companion DLL
- A damaged dependency
- An incompatible release
- A 32-bit and 64-bit mismatch
- An incomplete ZIP extraction
- An application moved away from its original directory
- A broken application update
The practical repair is to reinstall or re-extract the complete official package. Avoid mixing DLLs from different PostgreSQL major versions.
If the application came through a game or software launcher, use the launcher’s Verify, Repair, or Verify integrity function before manually replacing files:
- Open the launcher.
- Find the affected application.
- Open its menu or management page.
- Select Verify, Repair, or the equivalent option.
- Wait for the scan and replacement to finish.
- Restart the launcher and application.
Fix 4: Confirm the application architecture
A 32-bit program cannot load a 64-bit DLL, and a 64-bit program cannot load a 32-bit DLL.
Check the software vendor’s download choices. For psqlODBC, install x86 for a 32-bit client and x64 for a 64-bit client. On 64-bit Windows, both types may be installed when different applications require them.
If the DLL exists but Windows still reports it as missing, architecture is one of the first things to investigate. The error does not prove that the file is absent. It can also mean that the loader rejected the file or one of its dependencies.
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Fix 5: Repair a Microsoft runtime only when diagnostics point to it
The Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable does not install GNU libintl-9.dll. Reinstalling it is not the primary fix for this error.
Use the official Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable package only when:
- The application also reports a missing Microsoft runtime DLL.
- The vendor specifically requires it.
- The installation documentation identifies it as a dependency.
Install the architecture matching the application. A 32-bit program generally needs the x86 redistributable, even on 64-bit Windows.
Fix 6: Use DISM and SFC for broader Windows corruption
SFC and DISM repair Windows components. They do not normally download or restore a third-party PostgreSQL or GNU gettext DLL.
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- Open Start.
- Search for Command Prompt.
- Select Run as administrator.
- Run this command:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
- Wait for it to finish.
- Then run:
sfc /scannow
- Restart Windows.
- Test the original application.
Microsoft documents DISM as a Windows image repair tool and SFC as a checker for protected Windows system files. Neither command should be expected to restore libintl-9.dll from PostgreSQL’s installation.
Repeatedly hunting through Windows components and rerunning SFC or DISM without knowing what changed can make diagnosis slower. Outbyte PC Repair can scan for system problems and show what it finds; repair is performed by the full version, while reinstalling the application remains the definitive fix when that application owns libintl-9.dll.
Fix 7: Update drivers only when the application points to a driver problem
A display, storage, chipset, or database-driver problem can prevent an application from starting, but drivers do not normally provide libintl-9.dll.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchIf Device Manager shows a related warning:
- Right-click Start.
- Select Device Manager.
- Expand the relevant category.
- Right-click the device.
- Select Update driver.
- Choose Search automatically for drivers.
- Restart Windows if prompted.
For database software, update the application or psqlODBC package from its official source rather than assuming a Windows hardware driver is responsible.
Manually checking numerous device vendors and matching driver packages can be tedious. Outbyte Driver Updater can scan and identify outdated drivers; installation is handled by the full version, and it is not a substitute for reinstalling the application that owns this DLL.
What not to do
Do not download a random DLL
DLL download sites websites can provide malware, the wrong architecture, an incompatible build, or a file that lacks companion dependencies. Even a genuine file may belong to a different application release.
Use the official PostgreSQL, PostGIS, psqlODBC, game launcher, or application installer instead.
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Do not copy it to System32 or SysWOW64
System32 and SysWOW64 are not general-purpose DLL storage folders. System-wide copying can create version conflicts, hide the damaged installation, and still fail if the application needs other libraries.
Keep application DLLs with the application that uses them.
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Do not use regsvr32 for this runtime DLL
regsvr32 is intended for DLLs that provide registration entry points such as DllRegisterServer, commonly used by COM components. libintl-9.dll is normally a runtime dependency, not a COM server.
Running commands such as these will generally not solve the problem:
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteregsvr32 libintl-9.dll
Use regsvr32 only when the software vendor explicitly instructs you to register a specific COM DLL.
If the error says “not designed to run on Windows”
This wording usually indicates that Windows found a file but rejected it. Possible causes include:
- Wrong 32-bit or 64-bit architecture
- Corrupted download
- Incompatible release
- Missing or damaged dependent DLL
- Incomplete extraction
- A file replaced by an unrelated package
Remove the questionable manual copy and reinstall the complete official application package. If the problem continues, confirm the exact executable and architecture before trying another package.
FAQ
Is libintl-9.dll a Windows file?
No. It is a third-party runtime associated with GNU internationalisation support and applications that bundle it.
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Which program installed libintl-9.dll?
There is no universal owner. PostgreSQL Windows packages, PostGIS utilities, psqlODBC, and custom PostgreSQL-based applications are common sources. Identify the executable in the error and repair that product.
Will reinstalling Visual C++ fix it?
Usually not. Visual C++ supplies Microsoft runtime libraries, while libintl-9.dll belongs to a different dependency family. Install it only when a separate diagnostic identifies a missing Microsoft runtime.
Can I copy the file from another computer?
Only if it came from the same official application release and architecture, and the vendor’s layout supports that deployment. Reinstalling the complete application is safer.
Why does PostgreSQL reinstalling sometimes fail to help?
The failing executable may belong to PostGIS, a separate utility, psqlODBC, or another PostgreSQL installation. It may also be missing companion DLLs or using the wrong architecture. Repair the exact program named by the error.
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Run SFC for broader Windows corruption, not as the primary method for restoring this third-party DLL. Repair the owning application first.
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